This Year's Love
by Lauren Eliza
Summary: A continuation of the 6.17 Brooke/Julian scene. What else should have been said. BRULIAN, one-shot.


**This Year's Love**

**A/N:** Takes place shortly after episode 6.17. Inspired by the song by David Gray. Please read and review!

_This year's love had better last  
Heaven knows it's high time_

Brooke hadn't moved far from the spot where she had been when Julian had left. She was sitting on the couch, trying to figure out exactly how she had ended up alone on this beautiful night. She knew Julian had been lying about the phone call, and that was why she had tried to go with him, but had backed off, seeing that he needed space. She knew he was lying because his ringer was always set incredibly loud no matter where they were, whether at her place, out for dinner, or even at the movies. It drove her crazy but she remembered all too well the days when she had been so passionate about her work that she had been constantly attached to her phone as well. So when he said he had gotten a call, she knew it for a lie. But she couldn't admit it. She couldn't admit that she knew that about him. Just like she couldn't admit that she was falling in love with him.

_And I've been waiting on my own too long  
But when you hold me like you do  
It feels so right  
I start to forget  
How my heart gets torn  
When that hurt gets thrown  
Feeling like you can't go on_

Julian was a mess, to put it simply. He knew it had been a mistake to walk out on Brooke like that, but his pride had been screaming at him and he couldn't ignore it any longer. After meeting Julian, people usually described him as cocky. And maybe it was true with regard to his work and his art. But when it came to love, the exact opposite was true. He was still amazed that Brooke had given him a chance, and feeling extremely threatened by the spectre of Lucas Scott once again certainly didn't provoke the best version of himself. Brooke had said that she didn't love Lucas any more, but seeing that picture of her, him, and Angie had pushed Julian over the edge. They looked like a family, and he knew that that was exactly what Brooke wanted more than anything else in the world. Who was he to stop her from getting what she wanted?

_Turning circles when time again  
It cuts like a knife oh yeah  
If you love me got to know for sure  
Cos it takes something more this time  
Than sweet sweet lies_

She stood outside the door to his hotel room, one hand outstretched, gathering the courage to lean a little further and knock. She shouldn't have let him leave, but this was the best she could do. It had taken her a few hours to recover her normal frame of mind, and when she did, she realized that she needed to see him. So here she was. Just as Brooke reached to knock on the door, it opened, and they stared at each other in puzzlement.

"Hi," she said shakily.

"Hi," he said. "Do you want to come in?"

"Okay," she said, entering the room and sitting on the edge of the bed, playing with the strap of her purse.

"I'm sorry," he said gently. "I didn't have anywhere to go, I just made that up as an excuse to leave."

"I know," she said.

"You knew?"

"Your phone never rang," she smiled, as a sheepish look crept across his face.

"I should have known I couldn't fool you. But if you knew I lied, then why are you here?" he asked.

"I thought about what you said," she replied.

"Brooke, listen," he began, but she interrupted him.

"No, just listen, okay?"

He nodded silently, and she continued.

"You were right. You were completely right about me. I am scared. I'm absolutely terrified of falling in love again. And it isn't because of Lucas. I've never felt that unconditional love that people always talk about, from their families or whatever. So I'm always scared of not being enough to make someone love me. And I think, if I'm not enough to be loved, how can I be enough to love someone else?"

"I meant what I said," he said. "I do love you. Please believe me."

"I do believe you," she said, "And I feel incredibly lucky to have found you. We've got so much going against us, with both of our pasts, but I want that not to matter. I want to feel like that's all just in the past because we're both secure in ourselves and in each other. That's why I was so upset when you left. I thought I was the only one who was feeling worried about the past, but when I realized that you were as well, it seemed like we would have no chance at all."

"Is that what you still think?" he asked, barely above a whisper.

"No," she said, reaching out a hand and laying it on his arm. "I think that we've both been hurt before. I know that we have. But I also think that it's been too long since I've let myself just be happy, Julian. Without worrying about Lucas or Peyton or Victoria or Owen or anyone else. And I think I'm ready to love someone again, and more than anything else I want that someone to be you."

_Before I open up my arms and fall  
Losing all control  
Every dream inside my soul  
And when you kiss me  
On that midnight street  
Sweep me off my feet  
Singing ain't this life so sweet_

He gathered her close to him, cradling her in his arms and listening to her breathe. "I love you, Brooke," he whispered.

"I love you too, Julian," she said, turning her face up to meet his.

_This year's love had better last  
This year's love had better last_


End file.
